Abstract: A method which can isolate plasma cells and plasmablasts efficiently and with high purity, from mammals and birds, without using a cell surface marker is provided. Further disclosed is a fluorescent probe wherein the staining selectivity for the endoplasmic reticulum of cells is higher than the staining selectivity for cell organelles other than the endoplasmic reticulum. Also disclosed is a method for identifying plasma cells and plasmablasts which includes staining cells derived from lymph node tissue or similar by using this probe, and identifying plasma cells and plasmablasts on the basis of the fluorescence intensity from the stained cells. Also disclosed is a fluorescent probe wherein the staining selectivity for cell nuclei is higher than the staining selectivity for cell organelles other than the cell nuclei.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED A burdock fruit extract containing arctigenin at high content and its production method are provided, and both of which are used for treatment of pancreatic cancer. SOLUTION The burdock fruit extract containing arctigenin at high content by enzymatically converted arctiin into arctigenin with beta-glucosidase, which is an enzyme occurring endogenously in a burdock fruit, and adding ethanol, extracting, concentrating and then freeze-drying or spray drying.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an anticancer agent for potentiating an antitumor effect, alleviating side effects, and further extending the survival rate by concomitant use with a component having an anticancer effect. An anticancer agent combining arctigenin and a component other than arctigenin that has an anticancer effect, in which the anticancer agent may be a combination drug or may be a kit configured from a formulation containing arctigenin and a formulation containing a component that has an anticancer effect, and the concomitant use of arctigenin and the component having an anticancer effect more strongly inhibits tumor growth and reduces the proportion of cancer stem cells in the tumor, making it possible to extend the total survival time and to alleviate side effects caused by the component having an anticancer effect.

Abstract: A digital microphone includes: a cavity resonator operatable in a micrometer, millimeter, or electromagnetic waveband, the cavity resonator having a metal wall including a conductive membrane 32 that vibrates in response to incident acoustic waves and converts the shift of the membrane 32 into a resonance frequency of the cavity resonator; an FM-signal generator that modulates the resonance frequency of the cavity resonator in response to the shift of the membrane 32 and outputs FM signals from the metal wall other than the membrane; and a ??-modulated-signal generator that generates ??-modulated signals from the FM signals. The FM-signal generator includes a slot 36, a micro-strip line 38, and a negative resistive element 40. The ??-modulated-signal generator includes an edge detector 42.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a method that efficiently produces antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies from a wide range of animal species, and to provide a new antigen-specific monoclonal antibody using this technique. [Solution] A nonhuman animal is immunized with a target antigen, lymph fluid or the like is collected from the immunized nonhuman animal, or lymph fluid or the like is collected from a human having antibodies to the target antigen, the collected lymph fluid or the like is combined with (1) a labeled target antigen and (2) a marker that can selectively binds to plasma cells and/or plasmablasts, and cells that have bound to (1) the labeled target antigen and (2) the marker are then selected.

Abstract: A composition for controlled release of a physiologically active substance can release a physiologically active substance in vivo at the desired timing. The composition includes an inner layer that is formed of a biodegradable substance that supports a physiologically active substance, and an outer layer that is formed of a biodegradable substance that differs from that of the inner layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermostable DNA polymerase preparation which can illimitably reduce the risk of false positivity in the detection of a subject microorganism utilizing a gene amplification reaction and therefore enables the selective amplification of DNA for detecting the subject microorganism even when the amount of the subject microorganism is small and therefore the amount of DNA collected therefrom is extremely small, and can be produced at a reduced cost. Also disclosed is a method for quantifying or quantifying/identifying a subject organism to be detected rapidly, conveniently and with high sensitivity using the preparation of the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermostable DNA polymerase preparation which can illimitably reduce the risk of false positivity in the detection of a subject microorganism utilizing a gene amplification reaction and therefore enables the selective amplification of DNA for detecting the subject microorganism even when the amount of the subject microorganism is small and therefore the amount of DNA collected therefrom is extremely small, and can be produced at a reduced cost. Also disclosed is a method for quantifying or quantifying/identifying a subject organism to be detected rapidly, conveniently and with high sensitivity using the preparation of the present invention.

Abstract: A novel serine racemase inhibitor exhibits sufficient activity and specificity. The serine racemase inhibitor includes one or more compounds selected from compounds respectively represented by the following general formulas [MM_1], [DR_1], [DR?_1], [LW_1], and [ED_1] as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing an olefin having 2 to 4 carbon atoms including: reacting a catalyst with synthesis gas through a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, thereby obtaining the olefin having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, in which the catalyst is a catalyst obtained by reducing the iron ion and the cobalt ion in a dispersion liquid or a solution containing the iron ion, the cobalt ion and a dispersant that interacts with the iron ion and the cobalt ion, and a method of manufacturing propylene, which uses the above manufacturing method.

Abstract: A digital microphone includes: a cavity resonator operatable in a micrometer, millimeter, or electromagnetic waveband, the cavity resonator having a metal wall including a conductive membrane 32 that vibrates in response to incident acoustic waves and converts the shift of the membrane 32 into a resonance frequency of the cavity resonator; an FM-signal generator that modulates the resonance frequency of the cavity resonator in response to the shift of the membrane 32 and outputs FM signals from the metal wall other than the membrane; and a ??-modulated-signal generator that generates ??-modulated signals from the FM signals. The FM-signal generator includes a slot 36, a micro-strip line 38, and a negative resistive element 40. The ??-modulated-signal generator includes an edge detector 42.

Abstract: A method of producing olefin having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, including a process of reacting at least one kind of a catalyst (D) selected from the group consisting of below catalysts (A) to (C) with synthesis gas in the presence of a dispersion medium through a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, in which the catalyst (A) contains iron and one to three kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkali earth metal, the catalyst (B) contains cobalt, provided that the catalyst (B) is a catalyst except a catalyst obtained by reducing a cobalt ion and an iron ion in a dispersion liquid or a solution containing the cobalt ion, the iron ion and a dispersant that interacts with the cobalt ion and the iron ion, and the catalyst (C) contains nickel or ruthenium.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED The present invention is intended to provide a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a definite ratio and a method for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention is intended to provide a method for producing a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a weight ratio of approximately 1:1. SOLUTION A method for producing a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a weight ratio of arctigenin/arctiin=0.7 to 1.3 is provided, including the steps of: cutting a burdock fruit and converting arctiin which is inherent in the burdock fruit into arctigenin by enzymatic conversion by beta-glucosidase which is inherent in the burdock fruit, wherein the enzymatic conversion includes reaction at a temperature from 20° C. to 50° C. Also provided is the method further including a step of extracting an extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin by adding an organic solvent and heating to reflux.

Abstract: Provided is a method for selectively obtaining, for a given target gene, a “joined DNA fragment” wherein just a target gene fragment is joined with desired other DNA fragments, regardless of whether a DNA fragment containing a target gene sequence has been purified. In the provided method, a double-stranded joining DNA fragment containing a sequence A and/or a sequence B is selectively joined to the ends of a target gene fragment. A mixture of a double-stranded gene fragment, the 3? end of which is protruding, and the double-stranded joining DNA fragment, which are related in a prescribed manner, undergoes at least two cycles of thermal denaturation, reassociation, and DNA synthesis, resulting in a “joined DNA fragment,” which is a double-stranded DNA fragment including at least one instance of a sequence resulting from joining sequence A, the target gene sequence, and sequence B. A “single-side joined DNA fragment” can also be obtained, by a similar method.

Abstract: Provided is a device and a method whereby plural kinds of reaction operations and washing operations can be conducted in parallel without washing or replacing an instrument used in transferring a solution in each operation. A reaction device having a plurality of projecting barriers provided in a line on one surface of a substrate. The projecting barrier has a cutoff portion and an inner space capable of holding a droplet and having a contact angle to pure water of from 90 to 150 degrees. A reaction method using the reaction device wherein a substance immobilized on magnetic beads is sequentially transferred in and between droplets of a solution containing a surface tension reducing agent that are held in the spaces for holding a droplet by means of a magnet located on the opposite surface of the substrate to thereby conduct reactions and washings.

Abstract: A composition for controlled release of a physiologically active substance can release a physiologically active substance in vivo at the desired timing. The composition includes an inner layer that is formed of a biodegradable substance that supports a physiologically active substance, and an outer layer that is formed of a biodegradable substance that differs from that of the inner layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method which can achieve the homologous recombination of a gene of interest selectively, and a recombinant DNA molecule produced by the method. A homologous recombination method which uses a PCR product and a linearized vector is disclosed. The PCR product comprises a sequence for a target gene and amplification primer sequences P1 and P2 on both terminal ends. The vector contains homologous recombination regions VP1 and VP2 which respectively comprise nucleotide sequences homologous to P1 and P2, and at least one a homologous recombination region VT (VT1 and/or VT2), which comprises a nucleotide sequence homologous to a sequence T (T1 and/or T2), T sequences are sequence parts internal to P1 and/or P2 as well as sequence parts on the terminal side of VP1 and/or VP2 (provided that at least one T sequence has a nucleotide sequence specific to the target gene).

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a definite ratio and a method for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention is intended to provide a method for producing a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a weight ratio of approximately 1:1. A method for producing a burdock fruit extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin at a weight ratio of arctigenin/arctiin =0.7 to 1.3 is provided, including the steps of: cutting a burdock fruit and converting arctiin which is inherent in the burdock fruit into arctigenin by enzymatic conversion by beta-glucosidase which is inherent in the burdock fruit, wherein the enzymatic conversion includes reaction at a temperature from 20° C. to 50° C. Also provided is the method further including a step of extracting an extract comprising arctigenin and arctiin by adding an organic solvent and heating to reflux.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a method that efficiently produces antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies from a wide range of animal species, and to provide a new antigen-specific monoclonal antibody using this technique. [Solution] A nonhuman animal is immunized with a target antigen, lymph fluid or the like is collected from the immunized nonhuman animal, or lymph fluid or the like is collected from a human having antibodies to the target antigen, the collected lymph fluid or the like is combined with (1) a labeled target antigen and (2) a marker that can selectively binds to plasma cells and/or plasmablasts, and cells that have bound to (1) the labeled target antigen and (2) the marker are then selected.

Abstract: In a process of fabricating a tissue array, a tissue block is sliced to obtain sheet-form pieces of tissue, and each of the sheet-form pieces is closely rolled around a guide member to form a spiral shape tissue around the guide member. Then, the spiral shape tissues are inserted in an axial direction into holes arrayed in a base block.